Opoptera iracildae, Cajé & Casagrande & Piovesan & Lamas & Mielke, 2025

Opoptera iracildae sp. nov. Cajé & Casagrande urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:E737022C-A0F1-49C8-8C11-42AEEB84A54D

Figs 56–59 View FIGURE 56 View FIGURE 57 View FIGURE 58 View FIGURE 59

Type locality. Brazil, [Rondônia], Porto Velho.

Diagnosis. FW and HW dorsal surface is dark brown in males and light brown in females. HW with tail prolongation on M 3. DHW of males with long hairs distributed on adjacent areas to the scent-pocket. Differs from O. hilaris and O. aorsa by the presence of a dark dashed band within the orange band located in the marginal region ( Figs 56–57 View FIGURE 56 View FIGURE 57 ).

Male description.

Head. Brown. Antennae brown, apex may be dilated; frons with elongated brown scales; glabrous eyes; labial palpus covered by short and elongated brown scales.

Thorax. Brown. covered by short and elongated scales; pro-, meso- and metathoracic legs brown, distal margin of the each segment with a ring of white scales beginning with the tibia.

Wings. General dorsal color ranges between light to dark brown; ventrally with disruptive pattern light to dark brown with whitish regions; outer margin sinuous. Forewing. Outer margin angled. DFW displays orange band in the discal region with a conspicuous proximal arm which disarticulates between M 2 –CuA 1, and submarginal region with faded distal arm; subapical region with three spots and may have a vestigial spot between the first and the second, with the first two spots and the vestigial (when present) white in color, while the third more distal spot is black and white. VFW with two bands within the discal cell in basal region, with spots in the distal portion of the discal cell; discal region with band that extends from the costal margin to CuA 2; submarginal margin displaying dark-colored eyespot with whitish pupil between M 1 –M 2, with whitish color that extends from the M 1 to 2A, distal portion with dark brown band; marginal region yellowish-brown. Hindwing. Outer margin with tail prolongation; in the males, basal region with scent-pocket in the proximal portion of the CuA 2. DHW with long hairs distributed on areas adjacent to the scent-pocket; marginal region with orange conspicuous band, with dark brown dashed band within the orange band, and dark brown band visible along the entire tail prolongation. VHW basal region with dark brown spots, a proximal spot between Sc+R 1 and Rs, and a distal spot within of the discal cell or between CuA 2 –2A; discal region with two rounded eyespots with whitish pupil, the anterior between the costal margin and M 1, and the posterior between M 3 –CuA 2 or 2A, with spots rounded between M 1 –M 3; submarginal region with dark brown band; marginal region with yellowish-brown band ( Fig. 56 View FIGURE 56 ).

Abdomen. Coloration between light brown and dark brown, covered by elongated scales.

Male genitalia. Tegumen triangular in lateral view, concave dorsal surface, anterior margin medially concave; anterior projection of saccus shorter than the arms; uncus with lateral margin of the median portion markedly concave and distal portion rounded, bifid distal margin; gnathos with the proximal portion wide than the distal portion, pointed distal portion; valva sickle-shaped, externally and internally with numerous setae, anterior portion wider than the posterior portion, distal portion serrated in the ventral margin; aedeagus with lateral projections; fultura inferior rectangular ( Fig. 58 View FIGURE 58 ).

Female description. Similar to male. Differs in the following characters: DFW and DHW light brown. VFW and VHW with light brown disruptive pattern.

Female genitalia. Papilla analis oval, covered by numerous long setae; lamellae antevaginalis and postvaginalis joined laterally to form two narrow arms; anterior apophysis atrophied; posterior apophysis is longer than the length of tergum VIII; lamella antevaginalis sclerotized, narrower than the lamella postvaginalis, in the median portion folded ventrally; lamella postvaginalis sclerotized, corrugated-like associated to posterior margin and with two lateral plates sclerotized forming keel of irregular spines, with median portion indented; intersegmental membrane ribbed between the seventh sternite and the lamellae antevaginalis and postvaginalis, rounded, with anterior margin emarginated and with sclerotized plate in the median portion ( Fig. 59 View FIGURE 59 ).

Variation. Forewing length, male (n=5): 34–40 mm; female length (n=2): 44–45 mm. Hindwing length, male (n=5): 38–47 mm; female length (n=2): 44–45 mm. DFW, shape and size of the subapical spots; orange band may not be disjointed. VFW with bands, adjacent to the b, c, d elements, within the discal cell usually interrupted, but may be continuous; band that extends from costal margin to the CuA 2 may be interrupted, forming isolate spots between R 4 and M 3; shape and size of the eyespot between M 1 –M 2. VHW, yellowish outline of the eyespots may be faded; proximal spots between Sc+R 1 and Rs may be faded; size of the spots rounded between M 1 –M 3. Male genitalia: tegumen may have flat dorsal surface; uncus may lack the bifurfacted posterior margin, forming a protuberance instead; gnathos may lack the anteroventrally directed projection in the proximal portion and have a straight dorsal margin; valva may exhibit an indentation in the anterior margin, may have a distal protuberance on the ventral margin; fultura inferior may be anteriorly concave.

Etymology. We take great pleasure in naming this species in honor of Dr. Iracilda Maria de Moura Lima. Distinguished Professor at Universidade Federal de Alagoas, in honor of her career dedicated to studying insects and their love for all aspects of the natural history of butterflies. It is treated as a feminine noun in the genitive case.

Geographic distribution. Peru (Madre de Dios) , Brazil (Amazonas, Rondônia, Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul) ( Fig. 60 View FIGURE 60 ). Based on the only elevation record 340 m.

Temporal distribution. Based on the material examined, fly in January, June and November.

Type material. Holotype male, deposited in DZUP with the following labels: HOLOTYPUS / Holotypus Opoptera iracildae Cajé & Casagrande, 2025 / XI Porto Velho/ Coleção Julius Arp/ DZ 57.872/ ( Fig. 56a, b View FIGURE 56 ).

Allotype female, deposited in DZUP with the following labels: ALLOTYPUS / Allotypus Opoptera iracildae Cajé & Casagrande, 2025 / Rio Novo Porto Velho Rio Madeira T. do Guaporé/ Pko. 15/26-I-44/ Ter. Guaporé. Rio Novo Klm. 50. 17/1 944./ DZ 57.869/ ( Fig. 56c, d View FIGURE 56 ).

Specimens examined. PERU: Madre de Dios —Parque Nacional del Manu ( Pakitza ), 11º55’48’’ S, 71º15’18’’ W, 340 m, 17-X-1991, 1 male [paratype], O. Mielke leg., DZ 57.814 ( DZUP), 26-IX-1991, 1 male [paratype], M. Casagrande leg. ( MUSM). BRAZIL: Amazonas ( Rio Madeira ), 1 male, USNMNH 2041410 ( USNM). Rondônia —Porto Velho, XI, 1 male [holotype], DZ 57.872 ( DZUP), ( Rio Novo , Rio Madeira ), 15–26-I-1944, 1 female [allotype], 1 male [paratype], Parko leg., DZ 57.869, 57.868 ( DZUP), ( Cachoeira do Samuel, Rio Jamari ), VI-1944, 1 female, 1 male [paratypes], DZ 57.870, 57.873 ( DZUP). Mato Grosso —River System Cuyaba-Corumba [= Cuiabá], 1 male [paratype], Joicey Bequest. Brit. Mus. 1934-120 ( NHMUK). Mato Grosso do Sul —Corumbá, 1 male [paratype], J. Arp leg., ex-coll. Julius Arp, DZ 57.875 ( DZUP).

General comments

The phylogenetic hypothesis presented herein ( Fig. 3 View FIGURE 3 ) recovered two groups, consistent with previous studies ( Penz 2009a; Matos-Maraví et al. 2021). The first clade consists of those species with tail prolongation, including O. aorsa , O. arsippe , O. bracteolata , O. hilaris , plus Opoptera iracildae sp. nov., and the second clade comprises those species lacking a tail prolongation on the outer margin of the hindwing, such as O. fruhstorferi , O. sulcius , O. syme and O. staudingeri .

Opoptera aorsa and O. hilaris were recovered as closely related, with a genetic distance of 1.5–2.5%. Notably, although it was observed that both species share a similar wing pattern on both the dorsal and ventral surfaces, certain characteristics vary. For exemple, on the dorsal surface of the FW, the band is interrupted at M 3 in both O. aorsa and O. hilaris , while the submarginal band is barely discernible in O. hilaris , and faint but visible in O. aorsa . Additionally, these species share the same type of scent organ, characterized by a pocket-shaped. This type of organ also appears in O. syme , O. sulcius , O. fruhstorferi , and O. bracteolata , with hairs grouped in a bundle, whereas in Opoptera iracildae sp. nov. and O. staudingeri the long hairs are distributed in areas adjacent to the scent-pocket, though in the latter, they are inserted into the discal cell.

As regards the male genitalia, the species exhibit similarities, yet O. aorsa differs from O. hilaris in the more expanded lateral margin of the distal portion of the uncus. The geographic distribution of O. aorsa suggests that this species occurs in the southeast and south of Brazil, reaching northeastern Argentina, and is likely endemic to the Atlantic Forest. In contrast, O. hilaris has a wider distribution, occurring in the Brazilian and Andean Amazon regions, as well as in the Cerrado.

Opoptera iracildae sp. nov. was recovered as closely related to O. aorsa and O. hilaris with genetic distance of 4.2–4.6% and 4.2–4.7%, respectively. Although the general wing pattern is similar to O. aorsa and O. hilaris , morphological differences were found in both the HW and the male and female genitalia. Opoptera iracildae sp. nov. exhibits a geographic distribution pattern that suggests predominant occurrence in the Amazon region, but also with some records for the Pantanal region.

Regarding male and female genitalia, contrary to what has been documented to date ( Penz 2009a), the specimens examined here did not exhibit a sclerotized keel in the valva of O. aorsa and O. hilaris , nor in O. syme , O. sulcius , and O. fruhstorferi , which was also absent in Opoptera iracildae sp. nov. A transverse keel was observed on the lamella postvaginalis of O. aorsa and O. hilaris .

Opoptera arsippe and O. bracteolata form a well supported clade, with genetic distances of 6.2–6.9%. Both share a series of morphological characteristics distinct from those of other species, mainly in the gnathos and valva. In addition, O. arsippe is unique among these species in having the scent organ formed as a concavity, with hair insertion pattern similar to that of O. staudingeri . Regarding distribution, the pattern indicates that O. arsippe and O. bracteolata do not overlap. Therefore, these species are distinct and probably endemic to the Andean-Amazon region.

In this study, the phylogenetic hypothesis recovered O. staudingeri as the sister group of the clade formed by O. syme , O. sulcius , and O. fruhstorferi , with morphological characteristics also supporting this relationship. The geographic distribution pattern of O. staudingeri and the genetic distances (8.0–9.1%, 8.2% and 7.4–7.6%, respectively) indicate that this disctinct species is restricted to Central America, where O. mexicana stat. nov. also occurs, but without overlap, and although molecular data from O. mexicana stat. nov. are not available, morphological evidence, as geographic distribution, support their treatment as different species.

Opoptera syme , O. sulcius , and O. fruhstorferi were recovered as closely related as concluded in previous hypotheses ( Penz 2009a; Matos-Maraví et al. 2021). Generally, O. syme and O. sulcius are species that can be easily confused, since they have similar wing patterns and male genitalia. Opoptera fruhstorferi exhibits a distict wing color pattern compared to other species, but also shares similarities in male genitalia with O. syme and O. sulcius . Although the genetic distance of O. syme and O. sulcius is between 0.1–0.6%, and the genetic distances of O. fruhstorferi and these two species are between 1.1–1.9% and 1.1–1.4%, respectively, morphological evidence based on wing pattern and female genitalia supports their distinction and point to a the relationship between them. The geographic distribution pattern suggests that these three species occur only in the Atlantic Forest, indicating they are likely endemic to this region.